


Making It Count

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26407966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: After spending months talking to someone online, Penelope finds the friendship healing the broken parts of her heart. But when she finds out who she's lost her heart to, will she be able to make it count?
Relationships: Alex Blake/Penelope Garcia
Kudos: 5





	Making It Count

Penelope hummed beneath her breath as she logged onto the chat room that she had been visiting for the last few months. Despite how much she had wanted to make things work with Luke, the spark that she thought had been there turned out to be a quick burning ember, flashing out quicker than a match. And now that she was no longer with the BAU, she had found herself with too much time on her hands and filled it with chatting to other people in random chat rooms. That had lasted up until two weeks ago when she had met a woman who felt familiar to her, but given that everyone in the chat room used pseudonyms, she couldn't be certain who she was talking to. But they had agreed to meet in the chat room that afternoon before heading into a private chat.

She didn't want to admit that she was looking forward to that private chat, since she knew that it was always unwise to develop feelings for someone whose name she didn't even really know, but there was a piece of her that had already fallen deeply into infatuation with a brilliant woman. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was almost time for them to meet, and she began to chat with some of the people that she recognized from over the past few weeks. Still, as the minutes passed and her friend didn't appear, she began to feel more and more discombobulated, and Penelope shook her head a little as she checked the clock for the eighth time in three minutes.

Finally, after too many minutes spent with no sign of her, Penelope said goodbye to her friends and logged out of the chat room, feeling strangely disconsolate at being stood up. Pushing away from her desk, she got up and paced the living room, wondering what she would do now with her time, since she had planned on spending three or four hours chatting with lexilover63. Shaking her head, Penelope collapsed down onto her sofa and stared up at the ceiling, trying not to cry out of disappointment. She had just gotten to a more even keel when she heard her phone rattle on the coffee table. Groaning a little, she turned onto her side and picked it up, seeing that she had received a direct message from the very person who had just stood her up.

Unlocking the phone, she called up the chatroom app and went to her DMs, hurriedly tapping out a reply. _I thought that you had forgotten about our chat date._

 _Sorry, I was running late, a student wanted to discuss some questions from my latest lecture, and he took forever to get to the point. I arrived as soon as I could, but you had already gone. Penny, do you mind if I call you? I'd rather talk then type. My fingers aren't as quick as I'd like them to be_.

She frowned a little as she saw her name on the screen. They hadn't exchanged that information yet, and there was nothing about her handle that would indicate what her name was. _Please, do call. I take it that you don't need my number?_

There was no reply for a few seconds, and then her phone began to vibrate in her hand, indicating that she was receiving a call. Hesitantly, she answered it, bringing the device to her ear as she tried to not freak out over the fact that the woman she had been developing a crush on over the past few weeks knew her, and knew her well enough to have her personal mobile number. "Hello, Penelope."

The voice was familiar, and she tried to place it, her brow furrowing a little. "Hello. You have me at a distinct disadvantage, as I cannot place your voice."

"It's been nearly a decade, so that doesn't surprise me. Though I can't believe that you didn't figure out who I am, it didn't take me long to suss out who I was talking to, as your language patterns haven't changed all that much."

Those words told her everything that she needed to know, and she gasped a little as the realization hit her. "Alex."

"Guilty."

"But, what, I've been falling for you for seven weeks, and you couldn't find it in you to tell me who you were?"

There was a brief pause before Alex spoke once more. "When I figured out it was you, I didn't know if I should say anything. It was so nice to get to know you without the baggage of our previous working relationship getting in the way. And then, well, I realized that you were developing that crush on me, and I didn't want to lose that heady feeling."

"I take it that James is no longer in the picture, then?"

The question was a bit harsher than she had intended it to sound, and she let out a sigh of frustration, knowing that she could have very well derailed everything they had been building to over these past few weeks. "He, well, there was someone else. Someone younger."

"Fuck that."

"That is almost exactly what I told him when he presented me with the divorce papers. I used a few more words, but that is the basic gist of things. As I've told you, I've spent the last two years in that chat room, looking for someone that I connected with. I never expected that you would be the one to make all that time count."

"We have had fun in our little chats, haven't we?"

There was a brief pause, and then she thought she heard Alex sigh dreamily on the other end of the line. "We have, yes. I found something that I hadn't been expecting, in someone I would never have thought to look at twice when we were working together, because that simply isn't done. I, I have a week off from school, fall break, you know…"

"Yes. I have a small apartment, but cozy can be nice."

"Nice?"

"Yes, in the modern usage of that word. Come to me, and even though you'll have to deal with me working, we can still make every moment count."

"I think that a train leaves at nine this evening. It's been a while since I slept on a train, but…"

"I can pamper you when you get here. And since you have my number already, you can just call me when you're forty minutes away from the station. That will give me enough time to arrive."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, well, when you know, you know. And we have known each other well over the last few months." Alex chuckled a little under her breath, and Penelope felt that sound deep in her core. "You know, beyond the fact that I want to get to know you, it is going to be so nice to see you once more. And I don't know if that's because I don't see everyone as often as I once did, or if I'm getting nostalgic, or what, but I cannot wait until you're here."

"I feel the same way, Penny. Now, I should go so that I can put together a bag for the week. I'll see you soon?"

"In just a few hours, yes." Penelope smiled widely as they wrapped up the call, and then she was letting out a deep breath before squeeing in pleasure as she stood up from the sofa and danced around her living room. "I wish that there was a way to just speed time up," she whispered as she went into the kitchen and began to make supper for herself. As she took stock of what she had in her fridge, Penelope made a mental note to go shopping for groceries after she'd picked Alex up at the train station.

The rest of the day passed by quickly, and soon it was time for her to start winding down into sleep. Wondering where Alex might be at that moment, she called up the Amtrak train schedule and estimated that she was most likely in Newark, and she sent off a quick text message to the woman, wishing her good sleep before she crawled beneath the covers of her bed and tried to make herself comfortable. Still, it took a few long minutes to finally drop off into sleep herself, and as she entered dreamland, she smiled to hear that Alex had messaged her back, knowing that she could answer her back in the morning.

Her alarm went off far too early, reminding Penelope of the days when she had still been with the BAU, and she slapped it off with her hand as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before stumbling into the bathroom and hurriedly showering before getting ready and then checking her phone to see if she had received any messages. _It is decidedly difficult to sleep on a train, but I think that I'm about to get a few hours of shuteye. I'll see you around eight._

Nodding, Penelope sent off a quick reply, letting Alex know that she was on her way before she stepped into a pair of flats and making her way down to the parking lot. "I cannot be so nervous about this," she murmured as she listened to her phone navigate her towards the train station, arriving about fifteen minutes before Alex's train was due to arrive. After confirming where it would be easiest to meet her, Penelope headed there and took a seat at a free table, calling up her latest game obsession on her phone and losing herself in it as she waited.

"Isn't this just a typical sight."

She looked up suddenly, seeing that Alex had taken a seat across from her at some point, and was now smiling at her as she stared. "You were supposed to text me."

"I did. Three times. I'll bet that your game doesn't send through notifications?"

Penelope groaned a little as she shook her head. "I can't believe I forgot that! Have you been waiting for me long?"

"Just about five minutes. You're rather cute when you're concentrating on what you're doing."

She blushed a little as she exited from her game and shoved the phone in her pocket. "And your tongue loosens when you're tired. You look exhausted, and I hate to do this to you, but I need to pick up groceries for our week ahead. You can sleep in the backseat of Esther while I do that?"

"I think that I'd get better sleep in your car then I did on the train, so I can live with that, yes." Penelope nodded as she took hold of Alex's hand and led her out to the parking lot and over to her car. A small part of her assumed that the woman wouldn't like the possessive way that she just took charge, but chalked it up to how tired she was from the journey. It was nice to have that warm, heavy, weight in her hand, and Penelope couldn't help stealing glances at Alex as they went, feeling a certain sort of rightness pass over her being the longer they were together.

"Well, here we are. I'll even turn down my music so that you can sleep well."

Alex nodded as she opened the car door, leaning against the body as she stared at Penelope. That nervous blush returned as they gazed at each other, and Penelope was the first to break the look as she allowed her eyes to flutter closed, only to feel the softest brush of lips against hers moments later. "Somehow, I have the feeling that you are going to take very good care of me, Penny."

"I'm going to try," she murmured as Alex climbed into the backseat, curling up there as she stuffed her bag on the floor. Penelope let out a light breath of happiness as she slipped behind the wheel and pulled out into traffic, smiling to find that Alex had fallen asleep before she had really gotten underway. It wasn't until her phone rang that Penelope realized she had turned the sound on at some point, and she hurriedly answered it before the noise could disturb the sleeping woman. "Hello?" she said lowly.

"Penelope! I'm in the area and wanted to know if you were free to get breakfast with me."

She shuddered a little at the sound of Luke's voice. She still wasn't quite over the way things had ended between them, especially now that she could see just how stupid she had been to even want to start a relationship with him. "I am actually busy, Luke. And probably will be for the foreseeable future. Sorry." Penelope hung up before he could respond, even though she knew that it was a bit rude of her. Knowing that he would just call her back, she flipped the sound off on the phone and dumped it back into the center console before turning her focus back onto the road.

After arriving at the grocery store she frequented, Penelope made certain to park away from the entrance, knowing that Alex's sleep would more likely be undisturbed if she wasn't surrounded by other cars. Glancing in the backseat, Penelope smiled to see that the woman was still out like a light and she left her phone in the car as she locked the doors and headed inside. It was slightly more difficult to buy for another person, since she didn't want Alex to feel like she had to be strictly vegetarian while staying with Penelope, but she also didn't know what Alex really liked. Erring on the side of caution, Penelope soon had enough food for the week, or at least she hoped she did, and checked out.

Pushing the cart all the way out to her car proved to be more of a bitch than she had thought, having never realized that the parking lot was on a bit of an incline, but the cart was quickly showing her how wrong she had been. Puffing for breath by the time she reached Esther, Penelope hurriedly opened the trunk and stowed the groceries there before returning the cart and then getting behind the wheel once more, looking in the rearview mirror to see that Alex slept on. She must have been more exhausted than she had let on, to still be asleep, and Penelope smiled softly as she finished up the drive home.

Just as she was parking in her usual spot, Alex sat up with a start, and Penelope giggled a little at the flyaway hairs that haloed her head as a result of her sleeping. "You woke up at the perfect time, Alex! I just arrived at my apartment building, and you can help me carry the groceries inside!"

Alex groaned a little as they tumbled out of the vehicle, and Penelope gave her a small wink before slipping her phone into her pocket and popping the trunk. "Penny, darling, I don't know about you, but that is enough groceries to last me a month!"

"I, I may have gone a bit overboard, trying to get things that I thought you would like. Thankfully, most of it is nonperishable, so I won't have to worry about it going bad." She gave Alex a shy smile as she picked up a few of the bags, loading up her left arm until there was nothing left in the trunk, and she could easily shut it. "Now, if you'll follow me, we can head up to Chez Penelope."

"I think I vaguely remember the way up to your apartment, if I should get lost," the woman teased as they started for the doors. Penelope nodded, finding herself content to walk in silence, growing accustomed to the woman's presence again. "I should truly thank you, you know," she suddenly said as they started up the stairs to her apartment.

"For what, Alex?"

"For dropping everything and letting me join you here. I know that you'll be working come Monday, but just having a place away from the expectations of Boston will be a godsend. I didn't realise how badly I was treading water until you offered me this opportunity."

Those were the most honest words she had ever heard from Alex, and her lips trembled a little as she nodded, not trusting herself to look back at the woman while they were still on the stairs. As they started down the hall towards her door, Penelope found herself frowning to see that Luke was standing there, a sheepish grin on his lips. "I told you, I have plans, Luke."

"Yeah, well, I didn't know that you were going to have company. I thought you were giving me the brush off."

Penelope rolled her eyes a little as she pulled out her keys and handed them to Alex. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be inside in a few moments." Alex gave her a small nod before glancing at Luke. A small, wicked, look quickly flashed over the woman's features as she leaned in and kissed Penelope's cheek softly.

"Don't be too long, dearest. It's been such a long time since we were together, after all."

It took considerable effort on Penelope's part not to giggle as she nodded, handing over a few of the grocery bags to Alex before turning her full attention to Luke once more. "As you can see, I've made plans. You know, it would have been fun, if you'd been the one. But this? Showing up at my door after I told you no? Yeah, that just proves I dodged a major bullet. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have plans to keep, and I only have a week with her."

She brushed past him to enter her apartment, only for Luke to reach out and grasp her wrist tightly. It only took seconds for her to tear loose from his grasp, whirling around to stare up at him in fury. No man grabbed her like that, and she was bound and determined that he would know that before he left her presence that morning. Just as she was about to lambaste him, the apartment door opened, and Alex rejoined them in the hall. "I'll take the rest of the bags in now, Penny, and then start putting everything away. But our time is wasting."

"I know, darling. But Luke thought it was a good idea to hold me here."

Alex's eyes narrowed as she instinctively reached for where her holster would be, and Penelope smirked at the way Luke blanched before taking a few steps backwards. "I think that's my cue to leave, actually," he said before turning on his heels and fairly flying from their presence.

As soon as he was truly gone, Penelope began to giggle as she allowed Alex to drag her into the apartment with willing feet. Once the door was closed and locked, though, that giggle was swallowed by the feel of Alex's lips claiming hers in a bruising kiss. While she hadn't been expecting that sort of reaction, Penelope gave herself over to the hungry way that Alex was devouring her, snaking her arms around the woman's waist to hold her in place as she was backed against the door. They continued to kiss as Alex's hands roamed up and down her torso, caressing her breasts, tracing the curve of her waist and hips, and Penelope groaned as she pressed her feet harder against the floor in order to remain standing as they made out like horny schoolgirls.

Finally, though, the ferocious kisses came to a natural conclusion, and Alex pulled away from her to stare into her eyes. "I, I suppose that I should have asked for permission to kiss you before that little display," Alex said sheepishly as she tugged at her blouse. Penelope's eyes drifted down to her chest, taking in the way that the older woman's nipples were obviously pressing against the fabric of her shirt.

"I think that I gave you permission to kiss me when you rescued me from Luke. Believe me, I will tell you all about him before you go home." Alex laughed as she nodded, reaching up to tug on a curl that had fallen loose from her updo, and Penelope grinned as she took hold of Alex's hand and led her into the bedroom. "Now, this is not about us having sex right now, even though I would love to explore the physical realms of pleasure with you right now. Instead, you still need to catch up on some rest, and it will be much easier to curl up with you on my bed and talk. That way, you can stretch out and rest while I catch up on my email and talk with you until it's time for lunch."

"And if you get distracted by what you see on your laptop?"

"Then you have my full permission to get my attention in whatever way you can think of." Alex laughed as she nodded, allowing Penelope to take hold of her hand once more and lead her through the hanging bead barrier and into her bedroom. "And I don't bring my laptop into the bedroom, just my tablet. It will be easy to look at you and make certain that I'm sending coherent replies. God, it is so good to have you here," she said as she gestured towards the bed, watching Alex climb into it as she grabbed the tablet and took a seat next to Alex.

"This is so comfortable," Alex murmured as she turned onto her side and looked at Penelope.

"I knew that I would need something like this when I started with the BAU. The better sleep I could get, the easier it was to set aside the horrors of what I'd seen at work that day. I built some really tight coping mechanisms that have lasted me past my time with the Bureau."

"I have a few of those myself, Penelope." Alex gave her a small smile before yawning a little. "I'm not tired."

"You are tired. And that is perfectly okay. Scoot in closer to me, wrap your arm around my waist, and sleep while I play on my tablet. And after I wake you up for lunch, I will not touch a single bit of technology while we're together. Because you deserve to have my full attention."

"That's sweet, but I know how important technology is to you, so if you want to play your games or chat with your friends, I won't begrudge you that."

"No, I'm going to make this week count."

"And I want to distract you sometimes, Penelope. How can I do that if you're focus is constantly on me?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she blushed deeply. "I, I didn't think about that. But you need to be well rested if you want to distract me." Alex nodded before curving her body to fit close to Penelope, and they sighed in unison as Alex dropped her arm around her waist. "In fact, I might just set an alarm for one, just in case I fall asleep myself. A warm body next to mine sometimes can send me to sleep, after all." Alex nodded, and Penelope dropped a soft kiss to the top of her head before picking up her tablet and calling up her email, content to listen to the way that Alex's breathing slowly evened out into sleep, knowing that they would have time later on to learn more about the women they were now. It was a pleasure that she was decidedly looking forward to, now that she knew who she had been talking with for all these months. Stifling a yawn of her own, Penelope responded to three emails before turning on her alarm and stretching out alongside Alex as she allowed herself to drift off to sleep, knowing that she was safe in her arms. And this time, she would make the relationship count, and hold on to something that felt so right.


End file.
